Use of Beauty Products among U.S. Adolescents: An Exploration of Media Influence

Abstract

Abstract The goal of this study is to 1) identify the types of beauty product used and to compare the frequency with which adolescent boys and girls use them; and 2) determine types of beauty product use are significant in relation to the degree of media influence among them in the United States. While cosmetic use is among the most common ways to enhance the appearance of adolescent girls, teenage boys in the United States have emerged as a sector of consumers in the health and beauty industry as well, which is reflected by their concern with personal hygiene and appearance as well as by increased sales (Shah, 2004). Consumer socialization research of adolescents has identified the media as a major source of influence (Brittain, 1963; Churchill and Moschis, 1979; Mascarenhas and Higby, 1993; Moore and Moschis, 1981; Robertson, 1979). Adolescents’ use of beauty products can be influenced by how much these young people are exposed to media sources, due to the media’s significant and pervasive influence on ...